OCTOBER 2018

WEEK 10 - WHY DO OUR TEAMS PLAY AT THE TONY GLAVIN SC FOR OUR INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE?FEWER PLAYERS + SMALLER FIELD = MORE TOUCHES ON THE BALL = BETTER PLAYER DEVELOPMENT

With US Soccer’s Player Development Initiatives, the world of youth soccer has developed its evolution as all members of U.S. Soccer transition to encourage further youth development. This change has been the nationwide adoption of Small-Sided Games. Tony Glavin Soccer Club has been playing with these objectives for 25 years.

Our European size training pitch was designed to provide players with more touches on the ball over the course of the training session and games that are played. The benefits of 5v5 soccer, or Small-Sided, for players include more fun, more touches on the ball and more tactical decisions. The style of play will allow players to learn different positions, learn tactics quicker, increase fitness and allow players to be more emotionally and socially involved — creating a more fun and enjoyable game.

Our 5v5 format allows for easier transition into the outdoor game as it applies to the tactics of the teams. With four position players on the field, each team will play with a forward (penetration), 2 midfielders (width) and a defender (depth). This formation will allow for triangles to be taught throughout each game, which allows for better ball management and control by the teams.

Former US Youth Soccer director of coaching education and long-time advocate of Small-Sided Games, Sam Snow acknowledged, “Since the mid 1980’s US Youth Soccer has been an advocate for Small-Sided Games. Why? The many benefits to the players and even to novice coaches are clear. With fewer players on the pitch making quick tactical decisions is easier. Players are in the vicinity of the ball more often which engages them in all four components (technical skill, tactical development, Physical development and Mental development) of the game. The players are realistically exposed to the principles of play frequently. In short, Small-Sided Games will accelerate the development of American soccer players. Tab Ramos, U.S. Youth Technical Director and U-20 Men’s National Team head coach added, “"What we’re trying to do is to help players develop by putting them in an environment where they are constantly involved in the play."

At TGSC we want our young soccer players to touch the soccer ball more often and become more skillful with it (Individual technical development). We also want our young soccer players to make more decisions during the game and have more opportunity to play on both sides of the ball (Tactical development). Finally, we want our young soccer players to have more opportunities to score goals (Pure excitement). Having Fun is another aspect of the Small sided game, particularly with those opportunities to score more goals; this will enhance the energy level of the players.

WEEK 9 - What is a Coach? In sports, a coach is a person involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sports people.

At Tony Glavin Soccer Club we teach the coaches and believe the best coaches are ones that observe, instruct and encourage. The research is clear that shouting from the sidelines during a match is counterproductive to our real goals. Trevor Brooking is responsible for the development of England’s youth players as the Technical Director for FA. He describes how Manchester United has evolved: “The philosophy is to let them discover it themselves. The old vision of the coach shouting do this or do that has gone.” Players who are allowed to develop superior decision-making skills in their formative years are the ones who progress the farthest in the sport.

While out at the games you will observe coaches that sit and watch the game and talk to their players when they come off the pitch, coaches that pace the sideline and yell, and coaches that tell their players every move to make. Parents gravitate to the coach that they like the best.

We would like to explain what we teach our coaches and why. TGSC is a club that feels that observing a coach that instructs while the child is on the sideline or the simple command is more effective than yelling at them. Who likes to be yelled at? Simple commands from the coaches include: “move up” “get wide” “drop”. The kids do not have time on the pitch to listen to a long sentence. Their attention is on the game, as it should be. Keeping things simple allows the child to understand and process. Let the players enjoy the game of soccer and make decisions on their own.

Youth sports aren’t that complicated. They should be about kids having fun, kids getting better at something, kids working together, kids applying instruction, and kids learning to make decisions on their own—observing their surroundings, analyzing a situation, taking action. Believe it or not, children can figure out where to pass a ball and when to take a shot without a screaming adult telling them. And if they don’t do it “right,” the time to offer advice isn’t the instant the error occurs, at top volume. It’s when they come off for a sub, or at halftime, or at practice.

At TGSC we believe that “directing” our players doesn’t allow them to use their active decision-making skills. The players don’t get to fire those circuits in their brain that allow them to think quickly under pressure. Moreover, the coach will lose a great opportunity to evaluate how far the player has developed in their game understanding. We believe Coaches that tell kids everything to do: “kick it” “pass” “go here” “go there” etc. aren’t teaching the child anything that will benefit them because they aren’t thinking for themselves. Our beliefs include kids learning through practice, mistakes, and self-discovery.

As parents and coaches, we have to be courageous enough to allow our children to fail. Mistakes are the currency of learning. By constantly directing young soccer plays during a game, we limit their abilities to think creatively for themselves and pressure them to avoid mistakes at all costs. Ultimately, we create robotic and unimaginative players, precisely the kind the rest of the world criticizes us for on the international level. More importantly, we create children uninspired by the game, and we drive far too many of them to quit playing.

So as you can see, what some may see as a quite coach, is not a coach that doesn’t know or care. It is a coach that is supporting a child.

WEEK 8 - This week from the desk of Tony and Geoff we would like to follow up on Keepy Uppy.

You may be asking yourself what parents can do to help a child that may struggle with juggling. Not all kids like to juggle, some find it very hard and therefore they do not want to practice BUT it is something that they need to overcome and continue to try.

Here are a few tips to help those struggling:

Have your child sit on the ground with knees bent. Have them volley the ball and catch it. Just try one touch then catch. They should do this with remaining in the seating position. The point of doing this is to help a child get down the touch that helps with juggling. It is a softer touch that kids need to learn the feel. Having them in the seated position and knowing they will catch it, helps them to focus on just the feel of the touch they need.

Another strategy is to stand and work on juggling but let the ball bounce in between 1-2 juggles. Don’t focus on the bounce, focus on the touch. This would be done with the hope that fewer bounces in between will occur once the feel for the touch improves. It should start with touch, bounce, touch, bounce and keep repeating until they can take 2 touches then bounce. Confidence will be built as they succeed in this first step.

Rhythm is very important, finding the rhythm will help kids go farther. Some do better juggling with a certain part of their body. Knees is a good example. Sometimes a child can keep a rhythm with one leg, two leg, one leg, two leg (like a marching solider). If they are using their feet a lot and the control is not there, try the thigh. Figuring out the rhythm will help.

Remember that juggling is with all parts of the body (head, thighs, feet, chest).. If the player is struggling with control a different body part may keep the ball up. Heading the ball may help them readjust and keep the ball in the air.

Remembering that juggling is a small tool in the soccer players’ bag of tricks. It is true they do not juggle on the field, but improving the touch is used on the field and helps a player out in the long run. Good luck kids!

SEPTEMBER 2018

WEEK 7 - This week from the desk of Tony and Geoff they would like cover their thoughts on winning & losing:

Who doesn’t want to win? “I certainly want to win every time I go on the soccer field to play or coach, in fact everything I participate in I want to win.”

More important than the result or outcome of the game is how it is played, or the process.

Did we use good technique, did I pass accurately to my teammates, did I chase back to get the ball after I or my teammate lost the ball. Did I yell at my teammates after a mistake happened or did I provide encouragement? Did we as a team focus on the parts of the game we worked on in practice, or did we just play as individuals?

These are a few of the things that will help us to be winners it’s not just the result that makes us a winner.

Winning is something that is learned. It is vital to teach children correctly about winning and losing, how to win and lose, how we should act after a win or a loss.

We should accept defeat or a win graciously and not boast or brag after a win, or pout after a loss.

Sometimes to appreciate the highs of winning we need to experience the lows of losing.

Winning is not just the result of the game, but again more important is the process during the game, and the accomplishments of performing the skills during that game. Losing should not always be a low! When you play any game the outcome produces a winner and a loser. If you focus on the positive things like your next game, or the improvement the individual or the team made. The use of the glass is half full method will produce positive results.

The focus should never be just on the score, but on how the team plays or the individual tasks performed by each player. Did I give my all, was I trying to help my teammates by being a good teammate.

As a club our focus is not on “Win at any cost”, but winning, by teaching our players to make good decisions and using the proper techniques, understanding the individual skills will help them to be a good team player when applied the correct way.

AUGUST 2018

WEEK 6 - Here is this week’s notes “from the desk of Tony and Geoff”:

When forming a club, joining a club or coaching for a club it is important to know the beliefs, mission and philosophy of that club in order to understand the club. This week we would like to share the Philosophy and Mission that Tony Glavin Soccer Club was founded on and still operates in this manner.

The Philosophy of the club is teach in a manner that is from a curriculum set by the Coaching Director and following the methods set by the same. Some examples of this include:

kids playing all positions while they are young (not having set positions until the high school ages)

no joy stick coaching (allow the kids to think, work out problems by themselves, learn from mistakes and be creative) If a player can only play if they are told what to do, then who is really playing?

training sessions being age appropriate and building upon drills as kids age (most drills have components that a U9 team can do, adding in another level for U11 and then putting stipulations on them at age U15-meaning one touch, left foot only, etc.) The point of the drill can apply to all levels, but more complexity is added as they age.

The Goals and Objectives at the club are to produce players with good technical skills and good tactical awareness by creating a teaching environment where players will learn and advance in the game.

The Mission is to provide a place for players of all abilities to play while helping each player grow, develop and meet their own goals in soccer. There are phases of development and it is important to follow the phases in order to teach a child, but also to have the child continue to love the game.

Fun Phase:

The Game: small sided games maximum touches on the ball

The Team: small group cooperation

The Coach: friendly, helper, organizer and stimulator

The Practice: Fun Practices, individual ball skills, small games

Foundation Phase:

The Game: basic skills combined with group play based on 7 a side soccer

The Practice: basic skills practice, introduction to key concepts, small sided games, speed and mobility work (avoid fierce competition in the initial stages of teaching a skills, a high level of motivation can be detrimental)